While video games rise in popularity, still considered for children
Huan Vo
Call of Duty: Black Ops, a first person shooter video game, racked in 360 million dollars on its first day of sales. It is the largest grossing launch not just for video games but for the entertainment industry as a whole. Long past the days of Tetris and Pitfall, video game companies are huge enterprises.
“Game consoles have life cycles and it takes years to develop games and making games are real investment,” said Burton Borlongan, a residential faculty member in the Department of Business and Information System.
The gaming industry, clocking in at the age of 38, is constantly changing to attract new clients.
“As far as I know, gamers are increasing in number. There are…a lot of genres that cater to different audiences. To me, that’s way more mature than when the industry first started,” said Peter Nguyen, 21-year-old computer information system student.
Even with cinematic scores and graphics that look like a movie, video games are still considered for children. Companies like Nintendo are bringing in a wide range of users with their Wii system. Others are giving the industry a bad name.
In 2010, Electronic Arts stirred up controversy with its title “Medal of Honor.” The game focuses on the ongoing war in Afghanistan. In the multiplayer section of the game, players have the choice to play as the Taliban and shoot American soldiers.
Frank Gibeau, president of EA Games, made a statement defending the game.
“At EA, we passionately believe games are an art form…whether it’s ‘Red Badge of Courage’ or ‘The Hurt Locker,’ the media of its time can be a platform for the people who wish to tell their stories…” Gibeau said.
